The recent launch of the Xiaomi SU7 electric car has ignited a growing debate in the automotive sector regarding the use of consumer-grade chips in vehicles.
The controversy began after it was revealed that the Xiaomi SU7’s cockpit system uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a processor typically found in smartphones rather than in automobiles.
Li Fenggang, Executive Deputy General Manager of FAW-Audi Sales Co., Ltd., joined the discussion by stressing that vehicles should not be treated as ordinary consumer goods.
He highlighted Audi’s adherence to international automotive safety standards and pointed out that chips used in vehicles must pass rigorous certifications such as AEC-Q, ISO 26262, and IATF 16949—requirements not imposed on consumer electronics.
Three primary concerns define the current debate: operating environment, lifespan, and safety margin. Automotive-grade chips are engineered to function in extreme conditions ranging from -40°C to 150°C, in contrast to consumer-grade chips which operate safely only between 0°C and 70°C.
Additionally, automotive chips are expected to last 10 to 15 years, unlike their consumer counterparts that follow a 3 to 5-year cycle. The stakes are also higher when it comes to failure rates—automotive chips must meet a defect rate of under 1 PPM (part per million), far stricter than the 500 PPM acceptable for consumer chips.
Instances from the past, such as Tesla’s use of non-automotive-grade parts that led to overheating and recalls, have made safety a top priority.
With Xiaomi’s SU7 seeing strong sales, industry observers and consumers alike are now questioning whether smart vehicles should rely on consumer-grade processors, even for infotainment systems.
Professor Zhu Xichan of Tongji University explained that although essential safety systems must use chips certified under AEC-Q100 and ISO 26262, not all electronic modules in a vehicle demand that level of scrutiny.
For non-critical systems, performance testing and environmental validation such as AEC-Q100 still matter. He noted that a chip like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 would typically require a year to achieve full automotive-grade certification.
While Xiaomi has not disclosed whether the Snapdragon chip itself meets automotive-grade standards, the company stated that the SU7’s cockpit core board has passed AEC-Q104 vehicle-grade testing.
This suggests that Xiaomi has taken system-level precautions to ensure stability, even if the chip itself originates from the consumer electronics sector.
As smart cars become more technologically advanced, balancing innovation with long-term safety will remain a pressing issue for manufacturers and buyers alike.